Slaters' Funny Farm

The final days of 2017 are upon us and I must say that I am praising God that the year is almost over. I never like to see time rushed as we have so little of it and we should take advantage of every moment of it, but I am tired and have been through enough this year. The holiday season seemed to be a struggle for all this year and I hate to say that I am happy to see it go! The season is so commercialized that it is hard to remember the real reason we celebrate the day. Our holiday wound up being a nice day despite the fact that my mother in law spent a few days, including Christmas, in the hospital. She rolled out of bed a week ago yesterday and was taken by ambulance to the hospital. It was discovered that she had some bleeding on her brain and she was rushed to a larger hospital in case surgery was needed. It was not thankfully, but she is extremely bruised and has a large knot on her head that is still causing some pain and discomfort. My husband was not truly in the holiday spi...

Well, it seems as though once again the holiday crunch is upon us. One week and we will be waking up to Christmas Eve. Are your gifts bought? Are they wrapped? Are cards mailed? All of these are great questions to be asking yourself because as I sit here writing this the answer is no! I truly do not know why it is that each year I am farther behind than the year before. I have enjoyed Christmas music and shows on Hallmark, but I just can not get motivated to bake cookies, shop, get cards ready, etc. I truly can't find my holiday spirit this year much. Maybe it is because I know that my husband always wants to shop often because he loves the last minute hustle and bustle, maybe it is because I know he is impossible to buy for and I dread shopping for him, maybe it's because the kids are each moved on now. I do not know but I almost will be glad to see the holiday over and I love this time of the year normally. My tree is up, some presents are bought, and the grand baby is go...

Harvey Weinstein, Kevin Spacey, Bill Clinton, Bill O' Reilly, and Matt Lauer are all names that I am sure most of us if not all of us are aware of. Unfortunately, it is now that we know them due to the nature of the "acts" that they have done and not the talent that they possess. All 5 of these men have been accused and in some cases proven of sexually harassment at the workplace or with colleagues. These men, whether truly guilty or not, have become names associated with workplace harassment and using their power to manipulate these women. My fear is, that like so many things in society these days, the accusations may not all be truthful and some of what they are accused of doing may have been in a joking manner. I feel that as a society we have become fearful of a joke. We make it to be bullying inside the schools and we have made it harassment in the workplace. Let me add a disclaimer here for the comments that I am sure will follow this * I am in no way saying that ...

Fire is such a frightening word to me! I remember fire drills in school and several in the past years at work places and how awful I always thought it would be to lose your home in a fire. They can spread so fast and you rarely have time to escape or get beloved items out before the home is fully engulfed in flames. Of course, all material things can be replaced so as long as my family was out I would have to be thankful to God. Last night when my husband returned from hunting, he came into the house and yelled for me to grab my coat and get outside. I knew we were going to do some shopping, so I mentioned that I wanted to change shirts and he firmly said " No, grab your coat and come on". With no idea as to what the big hurry was, I grabbed my jacket and went out. As I hurried across our back yard, I immediately seen large flames above the trees. The neighbor's house on the other side of my in-laws was on fire. I picked up my pace a little more. I was in shock as I had...

Branson, Missouri is known for it's music roots and it is known for it's shows, but there is plenty of fun to be found without attending a show. There is plenty for a family to do and plenty of outdoor fun to keep the kids from being bored. I would highly recommend Branson as a family vacation spot. In September, my husband and I took a 4 day trip to Branson along with our oldest daughter and her fiancé. I was worried about whether my husband would enjoy it since he does not care about dinner shows and things like that and I knew that was Branson. What I did not realize was how much we could find to do that did not involve the shows. Since we were driving down, I suggested that we leave a day early and take our time traveling down and spend the night about half way. I Googled what the half way point was and it was a town along the Illinois/ Missouri border, so we were just a few minutes outside of St. Louis.  It was a nice break from the travels and we chose a less expensiv...

Alas! Deer season is in full effect in Indiana today. Of course, there are many times of the year that different animal and weapon seasons are in effect. Today is the first day of gun season for deer for the year. The weather is not perfect for hunting as it is very windy and warm. My husband woke up at 4:30 a.m. to be in the woods before sun rise and will probably spend a majority of the day there unless the storms that we are being predicted arrive. I don't mind as it gives me a chance to be up early and get some things done after he leaves and before my mom gets up. I have managed to vacuum and dust the living room, change the doilies on my tables to Christmas ones, clean the kitchen counter, find Christmas curtains, and straightened up some of the toys that the grand had drug out yesterday. My husband is not a trophy hunter. He doesn't care about the antlers and the deer head to hang on the wall. He won't kill a baby or a young doe, but the adults are for the taking...

This is about how my yard looked yesterday as the colder air and the winds that blew through made the trees lose most of the brilliant, vibrant reds, oranges, and yellows that had dressed them for a bit of time. Fall is such an amazing time of the year with all of the colors, but when those leaves fall you are sure left with a mess.   Over the weekend, my husband and I spoke of getting some of them cleaned up but the time never came to do that. Yesterday after work, I decided that while I had the grand doll and the weather was not too cold or rainy, that I would attempt to clean up some of the mess that is on the front yard anyway. I began raking while grand doll began jumping in the piles that I had made. I finally made her a pile and myself a pile to burn. She played in her pile for a bit before wanting to move on to helping me rake, which was not working. Living in the country is so nice at this time of the year because I know many people that don't have the option to bur...

Christmas is a comin" , at least, that is what my Granny used to say. Raised in very rural south western Virginia, she was truly a country granny. She used snuff, which I have many memories of as well as canning in the summer, wonderfully cozy and warm home in the winter from the woodstove, and how humble her surroundings were, but how much love we felt there. How I miss those days!! Anyway, now that we are in the middle of November, it is time to begin to think of the holiday season. I do have some shopping done, but not as much as I would like. I have no idea as to what to get my husband, but I will discover something. I truly don't need much but for some reason, I can always see things I want. I guess I should start a list so I will get a few of my favorite things. Chocolate and wine would be good. LOL!!! Christmas season at our farm begins when I decide to pull out my multitude of snowmen and begin setting them around the house. I also pulled out the farm Christmas cur...

My heart is broken! Every person in the United States should be heartbroken as we learn of yet another senseless shooting that has claimed the lives of young and old, men and women, and the mass chaos that has now came into Sutherland Springs, Texas. On Sunday, a gunman dressed in black and tactical gear, opened fire outside a small Baptist church in Sutherland Springs. He proceeded into the First Baptist Church where he began firing at parishioners and when he left, he left behind a trail of carnage that will be felt within the town for a long time. 26 people killed and 20 injured are the latest statistics that I am hearing. Ages of the dead range from 5-72, which truly breaks my heart. As a grandmother, I can't imagine anyone shooting a 5 year old child inside a church. My mind won't allow me to process that and when I begin to think of it, my heart just breaks. Reports are saying that one family was deeply affected by this shooting as a pregnant mother, her in-laws, and ...

Good Morning!  As I sit here to write this morning, I realize that I have been speaking of follow up posts about things and I never get those written. This one is going to be the first of many that I will try to get my faithful readers caught up on subjects that I have spoke of and never mentioned again. Blount's Disease, for those that do not know what it is, is a disease in which the tibia bone does not grow correctly and the outside of the leg grows faster than the inside and it causes extreme bow leggedness. It can be a debilitating disease if it goes untreated. In most cases, surgery is required. A month ago today, my granddoll went for the surgery that the pediatric orthopedic surgeon felt was best for her case. We were told that the surgery was performed often and that there was really not much danger of things going wrong and that results are usually successful. I have a friend of a friend that works in this particular field and she even reassured me that the surgeon we...

Tuesday October 31, 2017 was supposed to be a day of fun and Halloween celebrations across the United States but for those on a bike path in New York City it was anything but fun as another terrorist took the lives of 8 and injured at least 11. Another act of terrorism on the city that never sleeps. Sayfullo Saipov, 29, a man that came to the United States in from Uzbekistan in 2010,  was shot and apprehended by an officer after smashing into a school bus and getting out of his vehicle with weapons. Mr. Saipov was shouting messages in Arabic and waving guns. Mr. Saipov was here in the United States legally, but it has came out in news reports that he had been under the federal radar as a possible threat to the US. Mr. Saipov intentionally drove a truck that he had rented near his home in New Jersey down a crowded bike path in Manhattan just a few miles from the World Trade Center. The bike path was located along the Hudson River and is frequented by many joggers, walkers, and b...

Our weather has drastically changed in a week. Last weekend we were camping and this past weekend, we had snow flurries. Yesterday morning, as we were visiting our "adopted" set of parents, I walked out of the house to see a beautiful but not welcomed sight of snow flurries. Of course, I commented to my husband that it was time for snowmen and Christmas music.  I love both! Snowmen are almost an obsession at my house and I do love Christmas music. I actually have a CD ready for the car today. As I am driving to work, I will be listening to some Christmas songs. The weather is not fully cooperating for that today as it is supposed to be closer to 50 degrees today, but I can still feel warm and relaxed with my music.  I must make this short this morning as I have to get some things ready for the new satellite television that we are getting. It has been a long time without it and I must say that even if I missed it some, I had become quite content without it. My husband feels ...

A new movement has quickly gained momentum following a tweet by Alyssa Milano's tweet with the hashtag MeToo. Social media has become the way to speak and have your voice heard and this is certainly the trend of the next few days until something new comes along. #MeToo is a movement that has been created in social media for women to speak out against sexually harassment and sexual assault. Women are hoping that this brings to light for many just how common these problems truly are. The trend became increasingly more popular on Sunday following the reports that many women are speaking out against Harvey Weinstein, a well known movie producer. Sexual harassment is widely accepted throughout many industries even in today's world. Women for years have known that you sometimes are expected to just keep quiet because the man has more power in the industry than you do and many women still believe that no one will believe them.  Following the accusations against Bill Crosby, anothe...

Drenched will be my description of how I will look today as it is raining hard here and supposed to rain all day, while I will be working my courier position today and will be in and out all day in it. It makes for a miserable day!! Accepting this job at the library was a good idea as I have had to purchase a new car and will have extra payments now, but it seems as though the weather simply will not cooperate. I have either had really hot days or rainy days. Rain makes the job very stressing as I hate wet clothes and I hate being in the rain! I am well aware that we need the rain as it has been a very dry summer. I am well aware that the rain is good for the environment but I just am not a fan of the wet work that I will be doing. The books will be getting wet and I will be wet. The van will be more difficult to drive and the day will seem to take much longer. It will be a good 4 hours in and out of the rain working. I will probably not do part of the job today as I normally load ...

Gunfire erupted while Jason Aldean was on stage at the Route 91 Festival in Las Vegas on Sunday. Early reports are that at least 50 have been killed and more than 200 have been injured. The gunman has been killed and a woman of interest has been found. Reports are still sketchy at the moment due to the investigation still being very new, but reports are saying that it is the deadliest mass shooting in the United States at this time. It is believed that this man acted alone and is not linked to any military or terrorist group. Police were asking that a woman be located that they were saying was a person of interest, so I believe that she may have been involved. The reports are not saying that though. They were also looking for two vehicles that they believed belonged to the shooter. The gunman has been identified as Stephen Paddock, who I believe was in his mid 60's. Witnesses say that the gunfire began about 10 p.m. as the gunman fired from the 32nd floor of a hotel  near where...

Blount's Disease-  As I sit and recall the first day that I heard those words, I was nervous, scared, and not sure what I wanted to do. I did not know what it was and I did not know what it meant as far as a normal life. I quickly questioned God as to why? Why my grand doll? ( Isn't it funny how we always think why me in scary situations? According to doctors at Columbia University Medical Center website, "Blount's disease is a rare growth disorder that affects children, causing the legs to bow outwards just below the knees.  It is also know as tibia vara. A small amount of bowing is actually quite normal in young infants. However, as most children begin to walk, between the ages of 1 and 2 years old, their legs gradually straighten out. In children with Blount's disease, the lower legs remain bowed or bow further outwards, which can lead to future problems with walking. Blount’s can be seen in a child less than 4 years of age as well as in early adolescents. ...

Following a week of stern comments from the President concerning protests during the National Anthem, hundreds of NFL players protested during the games this weekend by taking a knee, linking arms, or completely not coming onto the field while the National Anthem played or was sung. Considering these peaceful protests, many players are saying that they knelt because of the Presidents' comments. The kneeling began last year while a player was protesting the injustices that are plaguing the black and the minorities in the world. While I feel that we all have freedom of speech, these men are paid millions of dollars each year playing their game and I realize that they have the perfect platform to protest where millions can see them: I also realize that many see this as pure disrespect to our country and those that put their lives on the line daily. I believe that there is a different place for this kind of protest. Maybe if these players are worried about these issues, which I hav...

Most of my readers are aware that my husband and I recently took a vacation that he had purchased for me as a Christmas gift. He traveled quite often for several years while he was working as a mill wright and he is not fond of it, but I thoroughly enjoy it. He needed the time away from his shop though too. We traveled to Branson, Missouri and drove into Arkansas just because I had never been to that state and I hope to mark most of them off the map by the time I leave this old world. Anyway, while we were traveling, I took many pictures and looking through them yesterday with the grand doll, I realized that I had a few that were a little interesting and I would share them today with you. This is taken in front of the Ripley's Believe It or Not museum in Branson. The building looks as though it has been through Hurricane Harvey and Maria and the earthquake that just hit Mexico. Believe me, when I say looks are deceiving both inside and out at this particular place. If you ha...

Hello world! It's a good morning here on the hobby farm that I choose to call my life, except for being bruised and battered. I will explain more on that later. Just be thankful that you woke up this morning and that you have a breath in you to be able to tell someone special to you just how special they are. We had a wonderful vacation in Branson, Missouri. The hotel that we stayed in looked like a castle on a hill. It was Chateau on the Lake, which was just minutes from downtown and absolutely an amazing resort! If you enjoy classy lodging, this is it at it's finest!  Chateau on the Lake has about all you need if you don't want to leave the resort including dining, bar, a sweet shop, and even laundry facilities for guests. Absolutely one of my favorite parts of our vacation. We did not take in a show while in Branson, but we did see the Ripley's Believe It or Not museum. I did not care as much for it as I did the one we went to several years ago in Gatlinburg ...

Well, I sure have not kept up with the blog this week as it has been quite a week. With the week being short due to Labor Day and we camped all weekend, it has made the week quite a doozie! I am thankful it is Friday and I am looking forward to Sunday, when we leave for the vacation that my husband planned for me as a Christmas present last year. I guess this post begins with last week on Wednesday. After running some errands in town, we decided to stop by Kentucky Fried Chicken and get a quick bite to have on the way home. I had been driving and we traded spots because I hate to drive and eat. Things were good until about 2 miles from home when suddenly a deer appeared out of nowhere and smashed the front of my car. The poor creature did not know what happened and was scared and injured with both front legs broken. I hated seeing it suffer as it attempted to walk, but we had to wait for the sheriff's department to get there. Before taking my report, I asked if he could end it...

Seldom I write posts that are based on politics or religion, but I feel at this time I really need to write this. As I am sitting watching the news and catching up on some Facebook posts, I find that I am seeing more and more destruction around the United States and I just feel that God is attempting to gain the attention of some. Montana and other western states are fighting heavy wildfires and the smoke from these fires is lingering over so many areas that it is hard to see and breathe. Texas is struggling to recover from the destruction left by Hurricane Harvey and now Florida residents are being told to evacuate due to another massive hurricane headed their way. Hurricane Irma could possibly be the strongest and most destructive hurricane to ever hit the Florida coast and for those that don't leave their life could be in danger. These are not easy words to hear when human lives are in danger. I believe that God is saying that we need to make some changes and get back into H...

Hurricane Harvey is continuing to pound the coastal towns of Texas with a wrath that we have not truly seen since Katrina hit Louisiana. The rains are continuing to flood more and more areas and billions of gallons of water has fell with more predicted to be falling in the next few days. The governor has simply said that it is a disaster area and news reports are saying that it is biblical flooding. Thousands have had to be rescued and many more will need to be. Simply put, Mother Nature has simply shown that she is still in control! Many lessons can be learned from this storm though. First and foremost, all lives matter! For a few weeks, we have all heard of the chaos that erupted in Charlottesville, Virginia during protests over statues that commemorate the Confederate soldiers and flag. Monuments are being removed to prevent more chaos in cities all over the south and I have even heard people complaining of others using the word "Dixie" to describe the south. Whatever yo...